Beautiful Science

The current COVID-19 health emergency is changing our lives. Lifestyles have been disrupted, relationships put on hold, and financial stability is at risk. We all feel vulnerable and insecure in these gloomy days. Yet, we are witnessing unprecedented solidarity and a renewed sense of interdependence is penetrating our collective consciousness. Now more than ever we are forced to reflect upon our society and the ways we want to re-shape our future.

In my opinion, one of the most significant effects of this crisis is to see how people have been drawn to science. Virologists and medical doctors have become the new celebrities of our days so contributing make emerge a more humane and noble role of science in society, of science for society.

Seeing scientists in talk shows and on television is helping give a human face to a profession that too often has been overshadowed by the products of technology rather than by their social role, or to use an old-fashioned sounding word, their vocation.

The One Health Center of excellence at the University of Florida has just released a 2-minute-long touching video clip celebrating the beauty of science in this time of coronavirus. On the notes of vivo per lei (I live for her) with the beautiful voices of Italian singers Andrea Bocelli and Giorgia, the inspiring video is a hymn to the life of scientists who with their passion and determination work tirelessly to make our life better often in the face of job instability and lack of funding.

Yes, science is indeed beautiful! A powerful tool to unpack the intricacies of nature and open ourselves to wonder and awe. Science though is fundamentally the work of scientists, human beings who through their sense of vocation can direct, how we are seeing these days, that power towards the common good.